Marin IJ Readers' Forum for June 28

Kudos to the county Planning Commission for unanimously approving the solar farm in Novato, and supporting the move to more energy sustainability.

It was crucial not to lose this project by reviewing it on its own merits, and not waiting for the bureaucratic solar ordinance to be developed.

I am not opposed to such an ordinance being developed, although it is unfathomable as to why one does not already exist. Solar has been around for decades.

In the meantime, we must review individual projects on their individual merits.

As Bill Clary stated in the IJ article, "Climate change is not waiting. We need to act."

— Janie Van Horn, Novato

Citizen Marin is all about local control

In a June 25 letter, Graham Irwin of Fairfax asks about Citizen Marin and "what he or she has in mind for local housing and transit policy."

Citizen Marin, a diverse, countywide, nonpartisan organization, is composed of leaders from dozens of neighborhood, homeowner and community groups, representing hundreds of Marin citizens. Leaders come together at monthly meetings to share information and discuss strategy.

Citizen Marin advocates for local control. Individual members speak for themselves and neighborhood groups make their own decisions.

Having learned about regional alphabet agencies' — ABAG (Association of Bay Area Government), MTC (Metropolitan Transportation Commission) and others — aggressive agendas based on questionable assumptions, miscalculations and manipulative processes, many individuals, like the one who made the video, take action.

Citizen Marin members have analyzed, published and posted information about population and traffic projections, greenhouse gas emissions, and water supplies. Many have written blogs, letters and articles, posted videos, organized meetings, spoken before City Councils and rolled up our sleeves to "save Marin again" from the greed of overdevelopment.

Collectively, Citizen Marin has mobilized neighborhood groups to promote citizens' voices in decision-making. Larkspur Fights Back and Marin Against Density fostered Larkspur's decision to scrap the Station Area Plan.

In Strawberry, Marinwood, San Rafael and Tam/Almonte, citizens rejected "priority development area" designations that would have produced high-density housing and worsened traffic congestion.

Citizen Marin supports four principles:

• Elected officials should represent their constituency, not regional agencies or consultants.

• Communities achieve the best results when citizens are informed and participate.

• Everyone deserves safety and respect.

• Trust and transparency foster good government.

— Susan Kirsch, Mill Valley, Co-founder, Citizen Marin

Larkspur Landing area

planning must continue

On June 18, the Larkspur City Council voted unanimously to halt the Larkspur Landing Station Area Plan process, while also supporting the plan's circulation elements.

The Coalition for a Livable Marin — CALM — though disappointed the vision process has halted, applauds the decision to keep the circulation elements as it aligns with the policy recommendations we made to the council.

From the beginning, CALM has focused on pragmatic solutions to the political logjam by balancing the outspoken concerns of opponents with the very practical problems facing Larkspur Landing.

The City Council seems to agree with this approach, recommending most of the proposed improvements for bike, pedestrian and transit access in the neighborhood. The council clearly supported strengthening the Larkspur General Plan with the best aspects of the station plan.

Last week's vote also shows that local control was never in jeopardy. The long-range planning contract for the station area originally requested by Larkspur in 2011 has been mostly fulfilled, and Larkspur remains firmly in control of its own future, just as it always has been.

As the general plan process continues, we look forward to working with the City Council to ensure that Larkspur Landing becomes the vibrant, sustainable, inclusive and livable place it can be.

— David Kunhardt, Corte Madera, Coalition for a Livable Marin

'Average' cost doesn't tell the full story

The IJ's June 17 story, headlined "County workers cost about $150,000," might lead one to believe that Marin County employees are making close to six-figure salaries and living better than the "average" taxpayer.

They are not.

The story states the average annual salary of a county employee is either $92,137 or about $80,000, the latter apparently being the amount for full-time employees paid by the general fund.

Of course, many employees make less than the average. That is the case for most rank-and-file county employees represented by our union, the Marin Association of Public Employees.

For example, the gross annual pay for a county legal process specialist is $56,394. Her take-home pay is less than $41,000 a year; that's less than $3,400 a month.

More than half her monthly take-home pay, $1,700, goes for her two-bedrooms, one-bath apartment in Larkspur. That leaves her less than $1,700 a month for everything else.

She's expecting her rent to increase to $1,800 a month next January.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the four-year average 2008-12 median income for a household in Marin County was $90,962. Not much different than the average for Marin's county employees.

According to the California Budget Project, a family of four, with two working parents and two children, would have had to earn $99,342 in 2012 to have had a modest standard of living.

It seems that fires caused by homeless encampments are becoming a serious issue in San Rafael that requires urgent and effective counter-measures.

Authorities seem to have initiated action to remove the pampas grass that is so inviting to the homeless.

However, this does not address the root cause of the problem — the fact that homeless people are congregating in San Rafael and Southern Marin because of the services offered.

Strong measures must be implemented to get the message out that Marin is not an attractive place for the homeless.

One way to do this is to arrest homeless people found in the encampments on vagrancy (or other appropriate) charges. Then, when 30 or so are in custody, load them in a bus at 8 a.m., drive 1,200 miles nonstop and dump them in a city in the Dakotas, Nebraska, Oklahoma or Texas.

After several such actions, the word will get around. Few new homeless will come and the ones already here will leave.

Through editorials, the IJ should encourage city and county officials to undertake the drastic measures needed to nip this serious problem in the bud by eliminating the major underlying cause.

— Charles Herbert, San Rafael

A permanent homeless shelter would be safer

Hey, Marin, instead of looking at ways to make homeless camp areas less flammable, how about giving the homeless shelter?

— Sandra Macleod White, Sausalito

Buckelew continues as 'ongoing gift' to Marin

Regarding the June 21 article, "Board of Supervisors: Mental health contracts worth $6M OK'd," I'm in full support of the supervisors' vote to award a $3.7 million contract to Buckelew Programs.

As a former Buckelew Programs board member, I have seen the impact of its programs firsthand. Its programs are an ongoing gift to our entire community.

Marin County citizens are fortunate to have the services of Buckelew. County Health and Human Services chief Larry Meredith lauds its successful outcomes.

Its programs include residential and vocational services for mentally ill adults, case management and independent living. Transitional Age Youth (TAY) — 16-25 years — is another Buckelew program that offers comprehensive coverage to give early help to young people.

Buckelew merged with Family Service Agency. Later, a merger was made with Helen Vine Recovery Center. Its mission is to enhance the quality of life of individuals and families by providing mental health and addiction services that promote recovery, resilience and hope.

Sonoma and Napa counties have modeled their mental health services after Marin's.

MarinScapes, a fundraiser for Buckelew Programs, will be at the historic Escalle Winery in Larkspur on Saturday and Sunday (June 28-29), from noon to 6 p.m.

An extraordinary variety of Marin County landscape art by 30 top-rated artists will be featured. The environment at MarinScapes will make you glad to be there.